Roses for sleeping Valentine
by Livandra
Summary: I am Faye Valentine. A few years had passed after Spike killed Vicious. I was alone now; we all went our separate ways. Just when I think it is time to die the past haunts me into a new discovery.Who is this musician who plays these notes? If what he say is true, then why is he nothing like his experimental copy? Am I truly his loved one who was lost to an endless slumber of sleep?
1. Chapter 1

**_DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN COWBOY BEBOP. I DO OWN THE BARTENDER CHARACTER, JAKE SKYLARK._**

Chapter One:

**_Thank you for Psychochiken, and Babyvampire11 for all your support._**

My eyes swiftly glanced back to the man sleeping next to me. A teardrop fall from my eyes, not even a night of pleasure could make the past go away. Why did I think of him again, all of them? It was a long time ago since I cried, though tonight my loneliness; my pleasure brought this sorrow upon me. I grab the silk duvet closer to my heart, my body naked and used. _You don't mind, you never minded. You don't even know who you are._ The voices in my head won't stop these irrelevant thoughts. _Hush sweet valentine, I'll bring some roses and chocolates too, just don't think of love if it isn't me and you._ My heart thumped, my mind driving into this crazy love lullaby, my eyes drifting to a death stare as the song kept playing in my mind. _Hush sweet valentine, you weren't the only one left to an endless slumber of sleep, my heart and your memories is left with one another. Just promise not to love if it isn't me and you. Hush now sweet valentine, I remember you. I love you. Just leave a little bit of love for me too. Hush, sleeping beauty hush, hush my sweet valentine..._My mind was finally back into order.

Identity: Faye Valentine . Real name: Unknown. Born: Apparently 1994. Age: 29 Birthday age: 88 Gender: Female. Hobby: Shopping. Job: Criminal and odd jobs. Family: None. This is my life, even though at a time I had a different memo. I was a bounty hunter and my family consisted of 2 men, a child and a dog. Not real family, but it was better what I had. I can't remember a thing about my previous life, not that it matters, I can never go back to 2023, I'm stuck in 2082. I have so many good memories of that ship, Cowboy Bebop, Jet's own ship. Spike who I loved, my feelings for him was strong, but every day, a part of him leaves me in relieve and peace. The heavy stones on my heart become lighter every day. Though tonight my heart is heavy, but as I look back at the memories, my heart becomes lighter. I smile brightly as the thought of Ed and Ein, always together and doing crazy things. I would die peacefully with those days in my mind, I thought. Then I stood up. "Maybe I should, I mean I look 29, while I'm 88, I don't want to live forever, I want to die happy, and who knows how long this will last." I whisper hard to myself. I grab my lingerie and clothes on the floor, I put it on hastily. Then as quiet as I could I left the room.

On the rooftop, I inhale the fresh air, watching the stars feeling finally at peace. I am going to kill myself. Then I heard it softly, for real, not just a song playing in my head from that last package I got before I left Cowboy Bebop. "_Hush sweet valentine, I'll bring some roses and chocolates too, just don't think of love if it isn't me and you. Hush sweet valentine, you weren't the only one left to an endless slumber of sleep, my heart and your memories is left with one another. Just promise not to love if it isn't me and you. Hush now sweet valentine, I remember you. I love you. Just leave a little bit of love for me too. Hush, sleeping beauty hush, hush my sweet valentine." _ I am running towards the music, it was from the inside, in the old bar. I finally got to the bar, but I was too late, the song already stopped. I walked in and sat at the bar, I asked the barman for a beer. "Coming right up," My eyes moved towards the stage, where a young man is playing the piano. "Ah, I see you are eyeing that man over there. Quite talented, came here about thirty-five years ago, never aged a bit, though don't get your hopes up lady. That man never left with a woman before," said the barman. I only nodded. "Could sing too, every month on the 14th he would sing the Valentine song, the only song he ever sings, exactly at midnight."

I stared at the young man. He had long gray hair and he was in a simple black tuxedo. The whole night I sat on the same chair and watched him play. I have no life anymore; Spike was now the head of the Red Dragon Crime Syndicate, because he killed the previous head, Vicious. Jet retired totally and is now living with an old friend. Ed and Ein are together living happily with her father. And me? I'm sitting here in a bar getting drunk listening to a musician.

The music stopped. I sighed. "Missy, it's closing up time, you need to leave" the barman said. I nodded and started walking zigzag out of the bar. As I tried to get to the elevators, I tripped and fell hard on the ground. "Are you okay?" someone asked and then felt someone holding me tightly as the person got me up. I nodded and as I glanced up I met a pair of grass green eyes. As I looked intently in those eyes I felt that the eyes can see right through me, my mind, my thoughts and my heart. I blush a deep red and look away.

"Thanks" I muttered, just as I tried to take another step my legs gave in, he held me more tightly. "Don't worry about it, what is your room number?" he asked quickly, as if I will pass out any moment. "My room number is 345, why are you doing this?" I asked, but I felt my eyelids felt heavily, I am not this drunk, I think. Then darkness overwhelmed me.**_  
_**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two:

**_Thank you Shané for helping me with this chapter, I appreciate it._**

I wake up to the smell of roses and tea that fills the air. My eyes catch the sunlight shining brightly over the whole room, lighting it up. As I stretched myself, my right hand softly passed something cold but soft. My eyes moved to the right, there was a bunch of red roses gliding into bliss with beauty. I watched the roses in awe. It's been years since I saw a rose, never mind a bunch. It's real roses with deep love and desire. The ironic thing about red roses for me was the fact that it resembles blood, yet the green stem resembles new life, which means from a new life transforming into beauty that comes to blood spilled until the petals dry and die as the blood runs dry to death. Maybe I'm losing it, it's just a rose.

"Isn't it lovely but somehow painful to look at? As if it went through a lot of pain?" a toneless voice asked. My eyes broke through the spell of the rose forwardly to the sound of the voice. It was a tall man with long gray hair and his muscular built, he was staring out of the window drinking tea. "What is lovely but yet lovely to look at?" I asked, since I was drunk and I'm having a hangover, my mind didn't really function as normal. "The roses" he said in the same tone. Unsure of what I must say next I just started talking "I'm sorry for last night I drank a little too much, I'm truly sorry for my actions. Uhm, I am most of the time decent. (_Well, I rather should say I have my moments)_ I'm Faye Valentine by the way" I said, I was deeply embarrassed by my behavior of the previous night. It is not how a lady should act. He turned around facing me when I realized it was the musician, I was too drunk to even notice. "Well, Faye. I'm Roger Vicious," he said. I trembled as I heard his name. _ Isn't he supposed to be dead?_ "Well, I had an experimental copy, they used my surname to call him something. I believe you had heard of him before by the looks of your eyes." I nodded as my thoughts are trying to recollect everything that had happened.

_Vicious was an experimental copy? I'm overwhelmed with the smell of roses and tea. A very sexy man is in my room. Did we… No I doubt that. Why is he doing this? Am I truly here? Is this a dream? No, this isn't a dream, if it was a dream he would have been naked… well we would have been naked. However, we are not, so this is reality. Or maybe this is my first dream of normality between me and a man. On the other hand, maybe he would strip off his clothes… Maybe I should be stop hoping for the not happening. _

I pinch myself to make sure I'm not dreaming, I wasn't. "Uhm, what are you doing?" I asked, the only thing that registered in my mind. "I'm drinking tea." he said and took another sip of tea. "I can see that but what are you doing here, wait not what, why?" I asked now perplexed with how I asked the first question and almost made the same mistake again. "Why what?" he asked calmly. "Wait, what why what? No wait not what? Why? What? I'M CONFUSED! What is going on?" I'm so stupid this morning, I really did drink too much beer. Nothing makes sense, not this room, nor the words that comes out of my mouth. He stood up with his cup and walked towards the door, he stopped halfway, his back crouched, there was pouring water, his back slowly turned straight again and turned towards me. He had two cups in his hands. He walked towards me, handed me the cup, and went back to his seat. "For the confusion and it's good for every hangover" he said. My hands wrapped themselves over the warm cup.

"Why are you doing this for me? Why are you helping me?"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three:

**_Sorry guys for the long wait. I'm trying to wrap my head around this and I'm very busy because of upcoming exams. I'll try my best to make the next chapter much more interesting, longer and get this story to move on… I'm even getting bored over here. So sorry guys. Please review I would truly appreciate it if you can tell me what you think. Also a big thanks to Musicluver45 for following and that you had favorite this story._**

"Why are you doing this for me? Why are you helping me?" I ask the man sitting in front of me casually drinking his tea.

The hot teacup is keeping my hands warm as I wait for his answer. The shadow that the man had overcast on the floor is cold and dark; I feel a cold rush creeping down my spine. I shivered and I look at his face for closure, his eyes look warm and inviting.

"You reminded me of someone I met a very long time ago. Actually exactly the same, but her body was still frozen after she froze in the ocean after a ship accident, I was with her, but I revived at an earlier stage, the hospital burned down a few years ago, saying that she escaped, but it wasn't true, since I couldn't find her and the hospital still had the frozen bodies" he said staring at his cup smiling sadly.

"What was her name?" I ask, not sure why I hoped it was mine. His eyes shifted softly over to me, he almost murmured the name. My body was shaking of shock, his lips almost made me doubt at what he said, "Valentine, we always called each other by surnames, though I can't remember her name, my mind is too old. I tried to track her when she I found out she was out of the hospital, but it was a lost trail"

"V…Valentine? B…But I'm… I'm gonna be sick…" I rushed to the toilet, vomiting my brains out. The shock after hearing my surname and the drinking last night was too much my stomach could handle. I felt my throat burning as tears filled my eyes, I can't stop vomiting. The vomiting made me feel weak and as a child just wanting to break free from the pain. I hurled myself into a little ball close to the toilet to comfort myself, as a child would do to protect itself from evil. I don't know how long I sat there but Roger came in.

"I think you are okay to lay in bed now, you didn't bring something up for a while," he said moving closer to me, he picked me up bridal style but I looked more like a sick weakly child. He laid me on the bed pull the covers over me, whispered softly in my ear to sleep and my eyes closed with a nod as I slumber in darkness.

_I'm in complete darkness. A crow cries just behind me, I am in fighting stance where the crow just cried. Nothing. Just black. A creeping laugh echoed and my whole body shivered at the sound. My body is moving instinctively towards the sound. I can't see anything. I hear a hard clipping sound and I'm in a spotlight. The light so sharp I need to close my eyes and have my hand protectively over my eyes. _

_I open my eyes as the sharp light dimmed and I can only see a stage painted in red, in the background of the stage a laughing and crying mask painted in gold. A drama theater? Only the stage lights are on and nothing but the stage is revealed. _

_A tape starts rolling in the sound system and is replying the same thing over and over by a fun voice. "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to… Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to… Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to… Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to… Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to…" the sound suddenly cracked and started to mouth of things with different voices that I can't keep up. "Love you so mu… KILL THE BASTAR!... Ease be careful RUN JOHN!...(A baby crying) Stop cry…" the voices started to stop as the tape retrograded into a circus melody. _

_"You can't escape, don't even try, you are already part of us…" A voice said slowly, as if it wanted me to let the words sink in. It did, I looked down, my feet is binded with cutting wire, as I try to walk the wire only sank deep in my skin, I curse but felt my arms being lift up without my consent, only then realized that my hands and arms is also strapped to wire. I am a puppet to this freak show. The wires gripped on me tighter as I am flown into the air, I see Spike also as a puppet, but his eyes is gauging out of blood as a Crow is playfully picking out his eyes, I screamed out at the horror! _

I woke up to find myself in a peaceful hotel room, my body is full of sweat, I am out of breath and my mind running crazy over the images of my freaky nightmare. It's time for me to get up and out of this silly bed. "Crows and puppets and theaters never was my thing," I mutter to myself as I head towards my bathroom to get a shower.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter four:

**_Thanks for all the support. A special thanks to FannyMandeb that favorite and followed this story. I appreciate it. Hope you guys enjoy this and I've tried my best to make this better than the previous chapter. Please review. I need to bring in romance from the beginning otherwise, this story won't make sense in the end. Please bear with me the following chapters because I'll probably take longer because I would have less time to write. Sorry about that. Enjoy._**

I am dressed in a tight red dress that comes down to my ankles, silver high heels and a matching purse. A walk to the bar to see it is fuller than yesterday. Today I am here a few hours earlier than yesterday. I am not drunk anymore and I'm not sitting with a headache. I'm more sober than anything.

"Hey bartender just came by to greet you, but I will be sitting there at the tables, I don't need to drink my sorrows away this time," I said smiling at him.

"Oh it's you, the girl who was here last night till morning. Well you look good today, is there a man meeting you?" he asks.

I smile mischievously. "Actually there is," I tell him. He winked to me and I walk to an empty table, set for two. A waiter came and I order one red glass of wine and a chicken salad.

I listened to the music, thinking about the letter left to me by Vicious.

_Dear Miss._

_I needed to get to the bar to rehearse for tonight. I'll meet you approximately at seven at the bar. I left this dress for you to wear. I still don't know your name and I'm sorry about that. Tonight you can tell me all about you._

_R. Vicious_

The waiter is back with a glass of red wine and left again. I slowly took a sip and smiled about how fast things changed.

"Wow, don't you look dashing?" I look up. Vicious stood there with his suit, his hair falling softly across his face; his burning green eyes made my heart almost stop. "Uh, you look very handsome" I say as that was the only thing I could think of.

"Well, I'm glad that you think so, Miss.?" He asks me.

"I'm Faye, Faye Valentine," I say subtly and look at him. He is definitely shocked, but he soon got himself back in order.

"So tell me a little bit about yourself, we have 3 hours," he says and look me straight in the eyes.

I sigh, not sure if I'm going to tell my past to a complete stranger, that way you only get hurt and people use you and I know better than to get hurt again. Maybe, just maybe I should, he told me his past, just to make this fair I'll tell mine.

"I'm born in 1994, I was found in 2023 frozen after a ship incident, apparently. A few years back I was revived and living again. They told me in my revival session, the only way I could come back is if I couldn't age anymore. So now I'm here, unable to age," I tell him flatly, as if it is the most normal thing in the world.

"I can't believe it!" he says sharply, he stand up take my hands dragging me closer to him and kiss me. It happened so fast I didn't realized what he was doing until my lips was pressed against his and my cheeks turning red as my eyes closed. The moment when I felt his lips was about to leave mine, I pressed my lips harder against him, kissing him back. We broke free; he is still holding my hand and he looks at me in disbelief.

"You truly are her, my lost lover at sea. Can't you remember me?" he asks me his eyes in wonder in the glass reflection of his eyes.

"I can't remember a thing, would you help me remember?" I ask, I know I should not actually trust him, but I can't help myself.

His eyes softened as he grinned, somehow I can't decipher how his grin looks darkly, but his eyes gentle. He kisses me again. "I'll make you remember with all the power in me," he whispers in my ear before he let go of me.

The rest of the night he made jokes, complimenting me, he is very charming indeed. I could watch his every move in wonder and I am intoxicated with his very being and presence.

Never in my whole life had I ever experienced this. Everything is moving so fast, my mind can't explain this. It is more than it was with my first experience with love.

Is it love? I am not sure. Fate? Most likely. Two lost lovers meeting each other again happen once in a lifetime, and I'm experiencing this.

_In my little box of music and letters, your reflection is revealed. The only lost presence_ _in every notion is revealed by a glimpse of you. Lost love forever and never found. Yet hope is greatly lingering in every object of my little box, called Sleeping Valentine, cause my heart is still seeking for your wake, in every day what is at stake. Not caring, just breathing, hoping to be with you once again. In my little box of music and letters, my Sleeping Valentine has awoken, the letters and music playing for her again. _

_Her life is no more a reflection but a figure in immortal form, dying to be with me. As lovers of their word, true to each other we shall live. If it is in harmony, mortality, sickness or health, as long as the music lasts in melody, so will our love. Let it not be shaken out of courtesy of the lost. May my little box of music and letters, a reflection of the past, my Sleeping Valentine, turn into a new breath of life. My little box of music and letters, Sleeping Valentine._

Vicious is now working, he sings beautifully. I grasped every word that came out of his mouth with that song. He is one of the kind.

"Well you truly must be something. I've underestimated you," a known voice says at the back of my ear. I snap out of the spell Vicious had on me.

I look at a tall man, muscular build, short straight brown hair, but he had a colourful yellow and black Berret on his head, with a matching tie and waistcoat as he wore his white shirt. He had this sexy look that made me feel embarrassed somehow. The thing most excruciating is the fact I only know realized how hot he really is and his golden eyes is more distracting than I thought at first.

"Don't you have customers' bartender?" I ask him.

"I'm on break. A guy needs it you know. How did this thing happen between you and Vicious? I was actually shocked at the fact it was Vicious. I was actually hoping I could have you for myself at a time, but since things between you and Vicious is heated up, I won't interfere," he says, smiling wickedly at me.

"Wait, you're not gay?" I ask him, I really did think he was gay, mostly all the bartenders I've known was gay. He is so hot and so many times I've found out that the hottest guys turns out to be gay.

"Hell no! A girl with a sexy ass and boobs can strip me down naked any time. Hell, I truly love the females and sex, makes me wanna get a drink and get laid," he is grinning and smiling like he is the luckiest man in space. He is probably the first bartender I've met with such a big ego.

"So, tell me, I am a man with curiosity over this thing with Vicious. Don't keep me in the loop. I wanna know what makes you so special to him, I always wanna know what am I missing if I can't have the girl first,"

"He just… he saw… he… loved me," I tell him. My eyes conversed towards Vicious, I am not sure if I saw it for real, but his eyes was burning with anger as he watched me.

He stopped singing for quite some time now.

I'm not sure why, but I feel really scared right now.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter five:

**_DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN COWBOY BEBOP. I DO OWN THE BARTENDER CHARACTER._**

**_Hi guys, thanks for reading this. Please review. Oh and any requests are welcome, please help me find a name for the bartender character. So please help me out. _**

I left very early at the bar; I was so unsettled by Vicious angry stare that I left and I haven't even saw his full performance. I am in bed, lying awake as I wait for Vicious. I feel very guilty because I talked to the bartender, not that there is much to be guilty about really. It is 4:45 AM. What is taking him so long? I can't explain this, but I really want him next to me, I want him holding me while I tell him that there is nothing between the bartender and me. I want to make sure he understands. I want him to tell me he still loves me…

The door opens softly. I sit up straight and somehow I feel nervous. "You're still up?" I hear him whisper lovingly. I feel relieved, so he isn't angry at me anymore.

"I couldn't sleep, I needed you," I am surprised at this statement, this is not me, not my personality, he… he is the change in me. He leans close to me, kissing me softly on the lips; the sensation of the kiss is burning, making me yearn for more. He was a damn good kisser. I lean closer towards him, kissing him back. He falls on his back next to me, making the kissing more comfortable as I lay next to him. The kisses were deep and touching. We were in our own world. He suddenly stopped, kissed my forehead softly and hugged me tightly. "Time to sleep my Valentine," he whispers softly in my ear. I nod and I climb in bed, close to him, he is holding me tightly to his chest. I hear his heart beating und fall into a deep sleep.

_I got a life I replay every day, for every day, I am not who you think I am, a touch of warmth is truly a touch of cold on my part, since it actually got nothing to do with you. But it always have been about me, about me. _

_I am not really a man, I ain't a saint, some of you would rather call me a monster. However, I call it a sickness, a sickness. For I can't help what I am, what I say or do, I only feel the pleasure of being me, when I'm around you, around you. _

_In my mind the plans is keeping me going, keeping me going, keeping me going before a rage, a rage , to love you more again, again, again._

_I am not really a man, I ain't a saint, some of you would rather call me a monster. However, I call it a sickness, a sickness. For I can't help what I am, what I say or do, I only feel the pleasure of being me, when I'm around you, around you. _

_The true nature of the animal within me is slowly coming forth, till the days are nearer, till you are a slave to a disaster only I can give. You'll be in too deep, can't get out, because you'll see, you're already part of me, part of me._

_I am not really a man, I ain't a saint, some of you would rather call me a monster. However, I call it a sickness, a sickness. For I can't help what I am, what I say or do, I only feel the pleasure of being me, when I'm around you, around you, around you... girl. _

"Wow that was amazing! Did you write that song?" I ask Vicious who is sitting in front of his piano in his apartment. He truly has a special talent when it comes to music. He can sing lovely, write his own songs, I'm quite in awe.

"Yes, this is one of my few works a few years back," he answers. I can't help myself looking at his apartment again. It was under the hotel, it was a wine cellar at first, but they later rent it out for a cheap price for the workers that work in the hotel. There were no windows, but it was comfortable as the sharp light that comes from the dancing chandelier made the place feel light and inviting.

The apartment itself have a small sitting room, a mini bar and small kitchen. The kitchen literally exists only with a fridge and a stove. The mini bar was situated across the kitchen, the only space drifting the two apart was a small hallway where there was a bathroom on your right-side and a bedroom on the left, two walls and the hallway bringing forth the separation of the two rooms. A true bachelor's apartment for an average bachelor who has little care in the world.

His sitting room was small; against the right side of the wall was the sitting area, a third-seater couch stood in front of a big screen TV. His piano is against the left wall of the sitting room, the little space closed with red curtains in a moon shape, as if it is a little performance area. It even has its own light if he drew the curtains to see what he is playing. It is very crafty and I love it.

"Have you ever been to dog races?" I ask Vicious.

He looks at me surprised, "No, why?"

I smile mischievously at him and say, "Well today we are going to bet on some dogs…"

The bets were in, the crowd is all watching in distress at the dogs closed up in cages to be open, the crowd in silence as the clock is ticking away the seconds. 5…4… You can hear the crowd silencing inhaling their tense breath…3…2…1. A bang sounds and the cages flew open, dogs running out around the track, the crowd cheering, shouting, I am shouting at my number 5 to run and win the race so that I can get my money back. Vicious looks at the dogs running the race, he is unsure if he should cheer.

The dogs run around the track, the anxiety makes it feel as if the dogs were running in slow-motion, number 3, 6 and 9 were so far the closest to the finish line, then number 8 out of nowhere came flying past them and won the race. Vicious shocked whispers, "I… I won…"

"Wait, you bet number 8? Well let's go and get our money!" I shout at him dragging him through the discouraged and angry crowd.

**_Sorry for the short chapter, I just wanted this chapter to end here. Please review and thanks for reading and being awesome._**


	6. Chapter 6

**_DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN COWBOY BEBOP. I DO OWN THE BARTENDER CHARACTER, JAKE SKYLARK._**

**_Hi, sorry for the very short and boring chapter, but it is important and it must come in somewhere in the story. Also thanks for helping me out with a name for the bartender._**

Chapter six:

I am walking around the hotel's shopping mall, after the race and Vicious had won, he gave me money to buy me some clothes, so I went and gone crazy. Actually I'm still busy going crazy- but with window shopping, I've used all the money already.

I walk and see a small black shop hiding in a corner. As curiosity overcomes me, I walk inside the place. It is full of cd's and a metal song is playing in the background. There is no one inside except for a man with short brown hair and he wears a red and black beret. Then I realized it was the bartender. I slowly backed away, but I am too late, his face turns to me and he grins at me.

"If it isn't the heart-thief," he stated, his grin getting wider.

"Well, if that is what you want to call me I'll be leaving right now," I tell him hoping deeply he would leave me alone as I think of Vicious again.

"Well, what else can I call you?" he asks me as if he's very bored with this conversation.

"Miss Valentine," I answer him, trying to be professional.

"Fancy are we, Miss Valentine? Then please, name's Jake Skylark, call me Jake," he smirks at me.

Since I am already inside and the damage is done, I walk closer towards him.

"So, Mr. Bartender Jake Skylark, what are you doing here?" I ask him while I'm looking at a few cd's.

"I work here to tell you the truth," his eyes boringly looks at a cd as he nods to himself.

"Two jobs? I didn't know you were so low in cash," I tell him sadly.

Jake starts to laugh, his laughter a roaring sound that slapped me in the face, I swear I never met a man who could've laughed as hard as him. Tears were streaming down his face, I couldn't help myself, his laughter is contagious, I started to giggle, then burst out laughing. I really don't know what is so funny, but I'm enjoying every single moment of it. It's been years when I've laughed so hard.

We finally stopped laughing. As I breathe normally, I ask him why we were laughing. His smile turns into a cocky grin.

"Oh Miss Valentine, I was laughing at your ridiculous account that I was low on cash. Sir Skylark Jake, low on cash… If that day comes the sky will definitely be falling," he tells me sarcastically.

I'm so confused and I expect my face shows it because he starts to explain to me why he have two jobs.

"I have two jobs because I wanted to work in shop where I can DJ whenever I want, so I buyed this shop for me, then I wanted to be a bartender at this hotel because I meet big business men and beautiful women as yourself. I don't need two jobs. I have a rich father, a rich family name and a rich inheritance. I also worked for my father for three years after I graduated accounting. Before my father gave me the job as the head-accountant, I quit to fulfill my own destiny. The night-life." He said his smile a peaceful sight.

"So, you are one of the lucky ones then?" I ask him, knowing he's more lucky than the time I woke up.

"Yeah, I know, but I give a lot of charity," he tells me defensively.

"If you were to fall asleep for many years and not wake up, then a miracle happened and you do, would your life still be the same?" I ask him.

I wonder if he would be like me?

Wondering where everyone was?

How I must have paid the bill on my own and there was no one there for me. Except for a liar who stole and broke my heart. He wasn't even there for me when I really think back. I was left to become a thief, a murderer, just to scrape by.

I wonder…

Would he have fallen in the same path as me?


	7. Chapter 7

**_DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN COWBOY BEBOP. I DO OWN THE BARTENDER CHARACTER, JAKE SKYLARK._**

**_My fellow readers, I am truly sorry for the long wait. This chapter didn't really sit well with me at first and when I've finally got it right. Well, sort of. Anyways another reason for my late update, our internet connection had failed me once again. I think I need to tell you that in the future this will probably happen a lot. We live on a farm and our internet connection isn't what a person would call reliable. Also thank you Fanny Mandeb for the review. Keep on reviewing guys, please. Any critic is welcome. Though I need to tell you I know my grammar and spelling probably sucks, so sorry about that, English isn't my first language so take it easy. Anyways, moving on… _**

Chapter seven:

The hotel room is dark; my hand is shaking as I open the yellow package. It's been years since I've seen that hand writing…

A DVD?

I put the disk in the hotel's TV. The image blurs until it shows of a man in a big office.

Spike…

He is smiling while smoking a cigar, so he upgraded from cigarettes to cigars…

"So Faye, it's been a long time, hasn't it? I've heard about your relationship with Roger Vicious. I know I have no right to barge in, but he isn't who you think he is. He has been a suspect for three murders, all women, I don't think that's a coincidence, all I'm saying is you watch your back Faye. He may be nice now, but how long do you think this would last? Don't tell me you haven't thought that everything has been too good to be true, I know you have Faye. I know you won't really listen to me, but if I were you, I would leave. But you also know that isn't true, because I never really left Julia when I should, now did I? All I'm asking you, Faye, as an old friend, be careful, be cautious and don't turn your back, oh and another thing, I've heard that you are in speaking terms with that bartender, I won't trust him either, anyways, you know where I am when you need me." Spike says through the screen and then it stops, the screen turning black.

I pull out a cigarette, lit it up and sit on the couch in quiet darkness. It's been three weeks, every day the same. Sleeping nights with Roger, middays chatting with my new friend Jake, the bartender. Late nights listening to Roger's songs. I don't know what to think of Spike's tape, but all I know is that I'll never be sure of whom Roger really is. Even though I don't really want to admit it, I feel sometimes scared of him, but then there's this times that I never even could think of him as someone to be scared of.

Beep-Beep…

Beep-Beep…

"Faye Valentine speaking," I answer my cellphone.

"Hey hot-shot, been a long time," a familiar voice greets me.

"Hi Boss, got a new job for me? I was getting bored," I answer him playfully, hoping he will give me something to do instead of just staying with Roger the whole time.

"Sure, meet me tomorrow after noon at the Penguins Pool Club, near the Hotel Loveless, wear a disguise please," he says.

"Sure thing Boss," I answer and end the phone call.

Then I inhale another drag of my cigarette, the night is still long. Then I hear the soft piano of Roger playing, the announcement that the nightlife starts now.

_The cards rolled out, cash rolling in, everybody goes walking around, the truth and the lies never seen. The orders for more, the lost and never found, dead to the core, all the nightlife is bound._

_Oh welcome to the place of dreams, big money and chicks, if your body is flowing down the streams, just don't forget your smiling cheeks._

_Oh this is the nightlife, hosted for all eternity, never gone and never broken, it all went big from the 60's jive, even in the minority, all has been joking._

_Lost hopes and dreams will pass you by, everything is full of second chances, but if life has entered solemnly and you die, nobody would give you second glances. _

_Oh this is the nightlife, hosted for all eternity, never gone and never broken, it all went big from the 60's jive, even in the minority, all has been joking._

_The cards rolled out, cash rolling in, everybody goes walking around, the truth and the lies never seen. The orders for more, the lost and never found, dead to the core, all the nightlife is bound._

_Everyone is here looking for something they never had, but maybe you should've known better, in this place it's always turning out bad, maybe you should've known better._

_This is the nightlife where all creatures of the night are bound._

_Till the death…_

_Do us part… _

If there is one thing about your songs that intrigued me, Roger, is perfect timing. My eyes close and I fall asleep. I'm not under the influence of the nightlife. Not yet.

_Drip…_

_Drop…_

_Drip…_

_My eyes open tiredly, the light is sharp, I shield my eyes instinctively, as I open my eyes once again I stare up the ceiling. Up the ceiling there is blood dripping down. I follow the blood, the next moment all I see is this big, black bird. I realize it is a crow, I hurriedly shield my eyes, the crow gawks and as I open my eyes the crow is gone, but now I see the pool of blood, as my eyes follow the pool of blood I can only see a man's body, the hair brown and curly. I crawl closer, turning the body on its side so that I'll be able to see the face, it… it's a clown. I hear a well-known warm-heartening laugh; I turned my head towards the sound._

_ Jake in his bartender clothes and stands a few meters away and he grins at me, this grin is different, more like… a blood lust grin. Fear creeps down in my neck; I turn away from him and look back to the face. I scream as I look at Spike's face, lifeless eyes and bloody tears down his cheeks…it's not a clown anymore. I look away, straight into Viscous face, his green grass eyes is now dark red, he smiles at me mischievously and pull me into an embrace, he hugs me tightly, I can't breathe, I'm feeling smothered. Then he shakes me, I close my eyes then I hear Jake's laugh, now dark and maddening._

"Faye! Wake up! It's just a dream!" Vicious shouts.

My eyes open, I'm in his arms, once again.

Like every night.

I don't get it.

Why am I so trusting?

Why am I here?

Why do I care?


	8. Chapter 8

**_DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN COWBOY BEBOP. I DO OWN THE BARTENDER CHARACTER, JAKE SKYLARK._**

**_Okay guys, since I took so long to update chapter seven I'm giving you chapter eight too!_**

Chapter eight:

"Why do you need to go? I don't understand. I can give you everything you want, why do you have to do this job? And why can't I come with you?" Vicious asks angrily.

I'm busy packing my bag for my job. Vicious is complaining all day about it. I don't get what is there to be angry about; I'm a woman who can take care of myself. I don't need his super-vising to do anything.

"Look Vicious, I'm a woman that can't just be here all day and do nothing. It's not as if I am not coming back, before you know it I'll be next to you." I tell him to assure him.

"But why? Why can't I be with you?" Vicious asks.

"It's part of the job. I don't get why you are making such a big deal out of this. I'll barely be gone for a few hours. And I need to do this, I want to do this." I tell him as I put my hands on his shoulders.

Vicious sighs. "Fine…" He whispers.

I kiss him gently on the lips.

"I'll be back before you know it." I tell him as I grab my bag and head to the door.

"Hey, Faye… Be careful. I don't want to lose you again." He says to me, but he doesn't look at me.

"I will bye!" I shout and close the door and walk towards the Penguins Pool Club.

_I will be careful, just for you._

I am wearing a yellow kimono with purple flowers imprinted and I wave my fan lady like. I settle down at one of the seats at the bar in the Penguins Pool Club.

A man approaches me and he sits two chairs away from me.

"What's a young lady as yourself wearing a kimono like that?" the man asks her.

"Oh, I'm one of those ladies who like to wear clothing by her mood, you know?" I tell him as I play with my hair.

"Oh, and what mood are you in to wear that?" the man asks grinningly, clearly noticing the odd flirtation from me.

"My mood… mmm… to have some fun!" I tell him and burst into a little giggle.

He got out of his chair and stands next to me; he slips a paper in my hands.

"You can play with me anytime." He tells me and smirks.

"I'll let you know Boss!" I whisper to him.

His eyes shot daggers at me and then he leaves hurriedly. I sit quietly at the bar as if nothing happened. I think that Boss could have someone following him that's why he looked at me like that. I'll open my hand as soon as an hour pasts when I'm in the bathroom.

"A glass of red wine for you m'lady?" the bartender asks.

I nod, he looks really familiar but I can't place the man.

Beep-Beep…

Beep-Beep…

"Hello who is calling?" I ask, very careful of what I'm saying.

"Faye, are you still doing fine? Must I come and get you? I miss you. You are already gone for 30 minutes, when are you coming back?" Vicious distress voice rampages in my ear.

"I am fine, so stop calling me. I'll be back in a few hours. Don't worry about me." I tell him.

"But I have to!" Vicious yells at me.

Terrified I hang up and put my phone off. I go to the bathroom, not caring about how late I am supposed to be going to the bathroom. Safely inside I open my hand. The letter had a key inside it. In the inside of the letter were there only 235 written down. The key also have the numbers 235 carved in. I figure that it's probably the lockers in here that I should check out.

I go back to my seat at the bar and drink another glass of wine very slowly, my eyes move to the TV screen.

It's the news, there has been another murder committed in the Grandyon area. This is the third killing in a month.

Two hours is past and I can walk back to the hotel with insurance that nobody is following with another bag in hand.

As I open the door of our room, Vicious is waiting for me, he really looks pissed off.

A cold shiver rush down my spine.

He runs towards me, grabs me by the shoulders and kisses me hard, I feel his fingers sink into my flesh, it hurts, but all that comes out of my mouth is a moan. He forcefully pushes me onto the bed.

"Don't you ever, ever again hang up on me again!" he shouts at me angrily.

I nod feebly, I'm feeling terrified, I was never so scared in my life before. This can't be the same Vicious who write beautiful songs, right?

Then he kisses me again, but much more gentle than a minute before. His eyes are now kind. Am I imagining things?

Then we made love to each other. It was warm, soft, gentle and loving. I must have imagined his terrible actions. As I lie next to him, his arms wrapped around me, I can't help but feel insecure.

_Am I truly his loved one who was lost to an endless slumber of sleep?_ _Is it even the truth? I wonder if he is actually more like his experimental copy than he realise? I wonder how long will this last?_


	9. Chapter 9

**_DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN COWBOY BEBOP. I DO OWN THE BARTENDER CHARACTER, JAKE SKYLARK._**

**_Thanks for reading, please keep on reading and please review, I would like to know what you think about the story so far._**

Chapter nine:

I'm weak.

I should never have brought down my walls.

And your kind smile is killing me from the inside.

I want to run, but I know I won't be able to hide.

Vicious you bring pain to me.

I should never have trusted you, the snake, the friend of the crow.

"You look so beautiful Faye…" Vicious said and kissed me softly.

I was lying in the bed with Vicious; I didn't understand a thing, if only he was a normal kind of man.

He got out of bed, took a shower, but I didn't move, I couldn't move. Then he went over to the piano and started to work on a new song.

As the song starts to form, I can't help but wonder…

Have he done it before?

_I'm weak…_

_I'm weak for your touch,_

_I'm weak for your soul,_

_Please just stop…_

_Because you're bringing out what I can't consume…_

_You bring the devil out of me…_

_You are mine,_

_Not for other's to use,_

_I declare war,_

_On those who will refuse._

_Don't pull any strings,_

_I'm not a puppet,_

_I'm not for display,_

_Neither are you, my dear_

_Because you are my Valentine,_

_Sleeping with roses,_

_My desire, my love,_

_A lost puppet with no strings,_

_Applied to your new master,_

_For me as your king!_

_I'm weak…_

_I'm weak for your touch,_

_I'm weak for your soul,_

_Please just stop…_

_Because you're bringing out what I can't consume…_

_You bring the devil out of me…_

_You are mine,_

_Sleeping with roses,_

_My Valentine…_

I waited for him to leave, when he finally did I took a shower and went out to the music shop, Jake was there as always. I ran to him, hugging him and crying.

I just want something normal.

Something real.

Something old.

Something 21st century.

Something only Jake can give me right now.


	10. Chapter 10

**_DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN COWBOY BEBOP. I DO OWN THE BARTENDER CHARACTER, JAKE SKYLARK._**

**_Thanks for reading, please keep on reading and please review, I would like to know what you think about the story so far._**

**_DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN COWBOY BEBOP. I DO OWN THE BARTENDER CHARACTER, JAKE SKYLARK._**

"Whoa, hold on… are you crying? Are you okay?" Jake asked as my arms were wrapped around his waist, I sobbed.

"Just shut…up and… hold me…" I said through sobs.

I feel his arms around me and he pulled me closer.

"I'm so tired to be strong, so when I've met Roger, no, Vicious, I let my guard down, he was my escape to the past, a world unknown to me but somehow felt where I belong… but I was wrong." I said when I calmed down.

"About what? Vicious or your past?" Jake asked.

"Ha! Probably both!" I said and I broke away.

I put up my strong face, my crying demeanour barely noticeable if it weren't for my eyes. I pulled out a tissue and blew my nose.

"Sorry about that, a lady usually acts more discreetly than this…" I said smiling.

Jake's eyes…

He was…

Worried… or hurtful? I couldn't tell.

"You know, if you keep on faking your true feelings in your life, people who care about you will end up more hurt because you didn't allow them to come in your world," Jake said.

"But, but if a person is too trusting…" I said hurriedly but was interrupted by Jake, his voice serious.

"But what? That they stab you in the back, that they betray you, that they use you, and then what? You die alone, wondering what is life all about?" Jake asked.

Then it hit me:

_I would die peacefully with those days in my mind, I thought. Then I stood up. "Maybe I should, I mean I look 29, while I'm 88, I don't want to live forever, I want to die happy, and who knows how long this will last." I whisper hard to myself. I grab my lingerie and clothes on the floor, I put it on hastily. Then as quiet as I could I left the room. _

Isn't this how it all started? Me… Alone… On the rooftop… Wondering about life…

"_Hush sweet valentine, I'll bring some roses and chocolates too, just don't think of love if it isn't me and you. Hush sweet valentine, you weren't the only one left to an endless slumber of sleep, my heart and your memories is left with one another. Just promise not to love if it isn't me and you. Hush now sweet valentine, I remember you. I love you. Just leave a little bit of love for me too. Hush, sleeping beauty hush, hush my sweet valentine." _

And I met life…

What if destiny and fate never was about the past, what if I was…

I was…

Actually saved…

By him?

His golden eyes burned through me as he waited for my answer. I felt my cheeks burning lightly.

"Maybe… if the right person comes along… they would be able to share the future as friends…" I said carefully.

He looked disappointed but his playful grin was on his face. "Just friends?"

With a sudden urge very slowly I held his hand in mine. "Only the future can tell…"

_Maybe that job offer would be much easier now…_


	11. Chapter 11

**_DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN COWBOY BEBOP. I DO OWN THE BARTENDER CHARACTER, JAKE SKYLARK._**

Chapter eleven:

_"Do you know it?" the girl with the fiery haired asked, her green eyes burned through me._

_"No… I don't understand… what I should know?" I answered her._

_"The Virgin Mary, you lived in her time of prime, didn't you?" the girl asked, her nun clothes sat freely and loose on her._

_"I can't remember…" I said as I felt her stare burning into my scandalous, shameful life._

_"Yet, here you are, still seeking out the truth of your past, you feel like you know this, it, the place of our church…" the girl said her green eyes blinking in angelic innocence._

_"This place? Without a roof or anything, a site full of ruins except for a few walls and the front door, a church?" I asked angrily, I don't have time to have a religion or any other beliefs._

_"Don't worry so much, sister of the darkness, we all need some pureness once in a while. A Valentine wasn't brought from the previous world for nothing. You are to be the next saviour of the light. The roses and chocolates resemble your lips and hair…" the girl said unconcerned._

_"Tsk… a lady like me don't have time for this, you are on your own girl…" I said and walked away._

_"You will be back one day… you can't go against the path chosen for you!" the girl said out loud. _

_"Just watch me!" I shouted back and pulled out a cigarette and placed it between my dry lips. I lit it and with every drag and step I felt the ruins behind me slowly burning into smouldering ashes..._

The fleeing gun especially made for a lady was sitting across my hip as I sat waiting in the ruins; my mind was playing tricks on me in the playing sun. This is the only place where she is and her death will warrant the play of my beginning to something new.

"Welcome Valentine, I knew they would send you. Oh and how can you possibly say no to the misery and decided fate of your servant, Sister Martha, your light?" the girl with the green eyes and fiery red hair said as she appeared out of nowhere.

"I knew you would come out eventually, I have one question before I will shoot this bullet through your head, do you know anything of interest?" I asked as my gun was already pointed at her, I already stood up as I heard her footsteps approaching.

"Yes, I do actually. You will kill me, I knew it from the day of my birth. Your fate is still that of a demon approaching the light within your darkness, you…" she started, but her voice was interrupted by the pull of a trigger, her fiery red hair fallen in her light of the sun to the ground.

I walked to her, she was dead. Her innocence still danced in the thick blood dripping down from her forehead.

"I choose my own fate!" I shouted at her, and then I shot her another time.

"All with innocence will fall into darkness of black, dried blood, like you shall be, welcome to the world of demons and darkness roaming throughout the day and night. There is no light in this universe anymore. All fall down to darkness… it's only a matter of time." I said and walked away.

I made a call to the Boss.

"Hi Boss, target terminated. Two-shots." I said.

"Two? How odd. Usually you use one bullet, or more than one, but you never used two." The Boss's voice dancing in the airline between the two cell phones.

"The second shot was for fun… bye Boss." I said and closed the call.

My first mission to a new start without fate.

The next thing was a text message for Vicious.

_Dear Vicious. I'm on my own from now on. I am leaving you, for good. It's over. Fate can't be determined, neither can I call it love what we were doing. I don't need to tell you this face-to-face so I'm not. Get over it. Get a new girl with no shit. I'm better on my own than a foolish love relationship. I seriously don't know why I was so weak in to begin with, but all that is lost now. So live your life and your songs. Goodbye, Roger Vicious._

My first mission to a new start without Vicious is finally completed.

Now…

Jake Skylark…

Is all I need.

No darkness.

No light.

Just me.

And…

A friend.


End file.
